Mastodon

We're looking for the trash fence...

Rose Point Navigation Coastal Explorer

Posted on Mon 10 May 2010 in Classes and Workshops

Last week I went to a talk on Rose Point Navigation Coastal Explorer (CE) which was hosted by Armchair Sailor here in Seattle, WA. The crowd was about 60 strong and there were a handful of folks in the under 50 crew.

The talk was lead by Jeff Hummel who does all these talks at the Boat Shows. He previously worked for Nobeltec and has been around the industry for awhile specifically with RADAR and software based chart plotters.

He basically went through all the core functionality in Coastal Explorer 2009 and then gave a good overview of the improvements in Coastal Explorer 2010 which is now in beta. Here’s a brief run down of some cool things Jeff demoed independent of version:

  • Active Captain Data viewable in CE2010 This basically supplies local knowledge that you can see in the live map view around you and then click to read information on anchorages, tricky entrances, anything really.
  • RADAR They’ve had this for a while a now. Basically they OEM Koden RADARs which with CE. There is so much press about HD and Broadband RADARs though they they appear a bit behind the times. For offshore cruisers I think they’d be fine.
  • See other features on the Coastal Explorer site.
  • The new UI in Coastal Explorer 2010 Beta is much improved.
  • Navigating the charts feels more like using standard web mapping software.
  • The menuing system which looks like the Office Ribbon shows you more of what’s available instead of digging through lists.

A solid good talk and if you have a chance to attend one of these I’d go for it.


Chainplate Installation

Posted on Mon 10 May 2010 in Projects

This is our chainplate. There are many like it, but this one is ours.

“This is our chainplate. There are many like it, but this one is ours.”

Dawn worked on the chainplates this weekend and here’s proof of progress. For our friends and family who don’t have boats, the chainplates bolt to the boat below decks and are the mechanical connection of the rig (the sail part of the boat) to the hull.

When we took the rig down we pull the chainplates and polished them. Getting them nice and clean not only looks good but the smoother and shinier they are the less likely they are to corrode in the future. It takes a LOT of elbow grease to sand them with progressively finer and finer sand papers all the way down to 1200 grit.

If you look at the picture above you will the part sticking and a plate screwed to the deck. The plates are actually a separate piece of metal. The verticalstructural piece you see sticking up is about 18” long and extends down below decks and it bolted to the boat. Dawn use butyl rope caulk left over from our portlight installation to seal the hole and then put the chainplate covers on with 3M 4200.

This is a sign we’re getting close to restepping the masts which means we’ll have a sailboat again!


Coastal Explorer Class Tonight

Posted on Tue 04 May 2010 in Navigation

Headed to the Coastal Explorer Class hosted by Armchair Sailor. I'll have more later, maybe live updates if there's wifi there.


Tool Swap This Weekend - 24 April

Posted on Fri 23 April 2010 in Classes and Workshops

This weekend at the SCCC Wood Construction Center is the Tool Swap. I’ve never been to this, but I figured some of you locally here in Seattle might want to know about. I got a flyer at Crosscut Hardwoods and I noticed one hanging in Stoneway Hardware as well.

According to the flyer you can Buy, Sell and Trade tools from antique hand tools to power tools. If you go or if you’ve been let me know how it goes.

Tool Swap 9am – 2pm 24 April\ (Get there early)

SCCC Wood Construction Center\ 2310 S. Lane St.\ Seattle, WA 98144

Entrance on the corner of S. King St & 23rd Ave S\ Do not park in the Red Apple parking lot.


Running Rigging – How much line do you need?

Posted on Mon 19 April 2010 in Projects

I just spent a good amount time tonight going over my spreadsheet for the running rigging. This sheet includes every line on the boat both ones I need to replace immediately before the masts go back up (topping lifts, running back, etc) and lines that I can wait to do when we get our sails. It also includes all the blocks, eyes, and shackles. Obviously it also includes the diameter, length of line, type of line, etc.

The thing you also want factor in is the type of splices you’ll be doing and how much length you need for that. For shorter lines this can be a significant percentage portion of the overall length you need.

For example, I need a 6’ x 5/16” Amsteel line with an eye in each end. A single Class 2 12 Strand Eye Splice (NOTE: how long is a fid) in this line takes 16.5” of line  and in this example I’m going to have 2 such splices so while the total working line I’ll end up with will be 6’ long I’ll need 8’ 9” of line in order to make the splice. I am leaving out the distance to wrap the eye, but in this case that is nominal.

Ideally when you were buying line online they’d have calculators that include the splice.


Mounting the Maretron WSO100 Weather Station

Posted on Sun 18 April 2010 in Maretron

DSC00317

A while back I started doing some research about how to mount the Maretron WSO100 weather station to the masthead. The yard had recommended I use a piece of flatbar and I went as far as ordering a piece and roughing it out, but that approach really bothered me. First the instrument would be directly at mast height level and I felt it would block the nav light too much. Secondly I was concerned it would be low enough to snag the spinnaker.

This weekend while rummaging around Second Wave I happened on a Glomex V9173 TV Antenna bracket (look around prices online range from \$30 to over \$100 for new ones) to which I attached a Shakespeare extension mast. The whole thing cost me about \$40 since I bought everything at Second Wave. This setup avoids the problems I mentioned above and the whole thing weighs less than the flat bar. I still need to make or find some grommets to protect the wires where they exit the mast, but my wiring projects are coming along nicely since I was able to solve this problem.


Fisheries Supply Launches their new site

Posted on Tue 13 April 2010 in Destinations - Puget Sound

It’s been a long time coming but the new site is up and looking gorgeous. I’ll let you know if it’s bug free in a few days. ;-)

image


Proof of progress on mast wiring

Posted on Mon 12 April 2010 in Projects

Before – just a bunch of holes and messenger lines for pulling wires.

DSC00271

After

Notice the tangs for the main loweres, spreaders and the new foredecksteaming light. That wire sticking out is the feedline for the new spreader lights.

DSC00295


A little progress always feels good

Posted on Mon 12 April 2010 in Projects

This weekend the weather was nice and we actually made some progress.

Boat side, Dawn check off some good items:

  • Starboard water tank scrubbed, by hand, through those 4”-6” access ports. No she is not available to help on your boat !
  • Finished painting the hull areas under the chainplates
  • Sealed the deck core where the chainplates  go through the hull
  • Started sanding the chainplate cover plates

WHEW ! Dawn is awesome!!! All of this is in preparation for installing the chainplates which will be weather dependent, but something I hope we can do next weekend.

At the yard, I was able to make progress on the mast wiring:

  • Finished mounting the foredecksteaming light
  • Finished mounting all of the tangs on the masts
  • On the spreaders:
  • Mounted the padeyes and flag halyard blocks
  • Pulled the wires through the spreaders for the Dr. Led Kevin Spreader Lightimage

The general wiring strategy has also made a bit of progress. The spreader lights are going to be fed from a single in-mast feed line. The wires in the spreader will be soldered to the feedline, shrink wrapped and supported by a linewire (TBD) that will span the connection. This will put the weight bearing back to the wire and not the soldered connection. The lights will be connected to the line inside the spreader with a disconnect so if the spreader ever needs to be removed it can be done without cutting the wires. *gasp*

At the masthead I’m pretty much ready to start wiring up the masthead light and the VHF. I only need some grommets to protect the wires where they exit the mast. I’m still not happy with how I’m planning to mount the Maretron WSO100 Weather Stationimage

which is so massive I’m actually thinking I’d be better off returning that and going with the Airmar PB200 which is not wide but is taller. The problem I’m having is how to mount this without adding 20lbs of stainless to the masthead and not blocking the nav light significantly.

So, while we still have a lot of portlight rebedding in our future this weekend we made some great progress… feels good!


2010 Latitude 48 Fisheries Swap Meet

Posted on Fri 09 April 2010 in Gear

We're not going to make the swap meet tomorrow. I'm feeling too overwhelmed with project work. If you are interested in any of the items I was planning to sell. Contact me through the blog.

  • Large Teak salon table (from a Pearson 424) - \$250
  • 6 5x12 Beckson Plastic portlights - \$40 each
  • 3 5x15 (approx) Bomar aluminum portlights - \$60 each
  • Furuno 1730 RADAR includes Radome, CRT & cable whichwas cut in removal Manual - \$300
  • Maretron DST100 (New in box) - \$250
  • Aluminum Sheaves - \$10 each
  • 200' of Chain
  • Bruce Anchor